Shipping and handling; my stitching list from Hell

1. Lately I've been seeing a lot of posts at various boards complaining about high shipping and handling charges. If you know ahead of time how much a company is going to charge to ship you an item and you hit the "order" button (or whatever) anyway, then deal with it. Yes, many places use flat shipping rates. It's a pain, but I understand it. They'd rather get people to buy more to justify the $4 or $5 flat shipping rate than to "waste time" on a tiny order and charge $1 for actual shipping. We did this at Piano Lane because this is exactly what the higher-ups wanted. It's not the best customer service in the world, but I do understand the concept.

If you buy something from eBay you really MUST get the S&H charge in writing before you buy. If you don't and somebody charges you more than you think is fair, you're SOL. Believe me, I learned the hard way on that one and always check before I bid.

2. My stitching list from Hell. One of the stitching boards I visit is called "The Wagon" (need to update my sidebar and and it). I'm a SOS, which means "stash only stitcher." I have acquired all sorts of fabric and charts through the years -- sales, eBay, trades, exchanges, etc. Now that I'm just not making much of an income I've decided to use only what I have in my stash already and only buy the floss, beads, etc. needed to finish a design. Folks, after going through my stash I realize that I could do this for many years. I guess I knew that already, but seeing it in black and white really brought it home. I actually sold off some of my stash when I was unemployed but didn't have the heart to give up this stuff since I truly believe I'll stitch it some day. Anyway, here's my WIP list and my kitted (fabric and chart only) list.

First my WIPs. Believe it or not, my list has actually gone done a little since I started StRIP at the beginning of the year. The percentage at the end is how much of the design is finished.

1. 2000 L&L angel - 40%
2. Waiting for Ships - Mirabilia - 70%
3. Christmas Flourishes - Mirabilia - 85%
4. Sweet Dreams Santa - Vermilion - 20%
5. Halloween - Twisted Threads - 85%
6. Angel of the Sea - L&L - 15%
7. Spring in the Air - Just Nan - 10%
8. Spring Queen - Mirabilia - 20%
9. Ouroborus - Dracolair - 10%
10. Lady of the Flag - Mirabilia - 40%
11. English Garden Welcome - TS - 20%
12. Guardian Angel - L&L - 50%
13. Sleeping Beauty - Mirabilia - 20%
14. Earth Dragon - Cross My Heart - 5%
15. Stretch - TW - 5%
16. Angel of the New Dawn - Mirabilia - 15%
17. I Shall Wear Purple - Leisure Arts - 10%
18. Starry Night - Dimples Designs - 60%
19. Angel of Love - L&L - 65%
20. Christmas Jewel - Just Nan - 85%

Christmas Jewel would be finished if I could remember the safe place in which I put it while waiting for the rest of the Kreinik to come in. :bang

Now unto the REALLY embarassing list. I've collected quite a bit of fabric over the years through sales, Ebay purchases, swaps and exchanges and haven't been able to keep up with the stitching. I'm only listing the large and medium projects I have kitted. My one saving grace is that very little of this is hand-dyed and I bought it back when I was making a decent salary so that now I can work from my stash. [i](By kitted, I mean chart and fabric and nothing else.)[/i]

Mirabilia
April's Blue Diamond
Winter Queen
Autumn Queen
Summer Queen
Blossom Harvest
Fairy Treasures
Under the Friendship Tree
Amethyst Fairy
Queen of Peace
Scent of Old Roses
Deepest Love
Garden Musis
Madonna in Garden
Savannah's Curtsy
Rose Celebration
Christmas Wishes
Touching the Autumn Sky
Garden Verses
Aida the Garden Fairy
Mermaid of the Pearls
Queen of Freedom
My Lady's Garden
Nantucket Rose
The Dreamer
Woodland Fairy
Bedtime Friends

MLI
Celtic Noel
Celtic Spring
Angel of Grace
Enchanted Alphabet
Queen Anne's Lace
Sweet Dreams
Children's Garden
Secret Santa
Oh, Christmas Tree

Just Nan
Winter Haven
Strawberry Sampler
Be My Valentine
High Hopes
Snow Business
Christmas Peace
Tapestry Heart
September Song
Victorian Violets
Gillyflower Grace
Batty Hatty & Boo
Be Merry

Sweetheart Tree
Shamrock Sampler
Grape Arbour
SamplerPanache